Burning in a new DAC

All you need is input into the DAC and the DAC turned on. You don't need the preamp or the amp.

run pink/white noise from a tuner. that will give it a work out.

Interesting concept Tiger. The output of a tuner is analog, and most stations don't broadcast pink noise. Krell is correct, and there are some CDs available specifically for burning in components. I use this often on my system, playing the pink, brown, mono brown and white noise tracks on repeat: (http://www.musicdirect.com/product/73160) Another option: (http://www.graniteaudio.com/phono/page7.html)

Krell_man, thanks for the response.It wasn't clear to me if there was anything to be gained from the DAC "actively" passing a signal in the equipment chain.
Tiger and Rodman99999, I had forgotten that this could be an efficient way to achieve the burn-in. I see a burn-in disc in my future....
Is there a rule of thumb for burning-in a piece of gear in terms of time? Does something like the disc reduce the time necessary, and if so, how much? How does one know how long the burn-in might take, no matter how it's achieved?

The voltages will be constant with a disc/pink/brown/white noise, while with music- it varies widely. A constant higher level will help the dielectrics form their charge faster, thus reducing the necessary time somewhat. Figure two hundred hours for most components. Usually things get listenable after one hundred. Just let it burn when you're not listening.

So is it ok to just use pink noise to break-in ICs, DACs and preamps? If one is just using pink noise only to break-in ICs how many hours with just the Pink Noise before the cables are broken in? Right now I'm breaking in some Morrow Audio ICs and XLRs and not listening to them in my system until after 400 to 500 hours. I'm hoping with just the pink noise the break-in time will be cut down.

They also say that hard rock and electronic music is good for breaking in components and cables.

Thanks Krell_Man for chiming in. After a week's worth of pink noise I'm going to switch things up. I've got lots of different hard rock and electronic music to run through the gear.

I just bought the chord mojo. it sounds flat and not much different from my phone. I did have another mobile dac, it was an ifi hipdac and it broke in within a few hours. Was that just luck? Do mobile dacs require burn in too? If so, also what is a tuner? where could i get one to plug into the chord mojo for pink noise? I realize these comments are from 2012 but hoping someone could help me. Thanx

Scottie, a tuner is a standalone component (or built in to a receiver) that allows one to listen to AM or FM radio. Since it is always broadcasting (assuming you "tune in" to a radio station), it’s an easy way to get free and constant signal into your component for burn in. If you just want one for this purpose best to go to a thrift store or something - they’re somewhat rare these days in HiFi and new ones like from magnum dynalab are expensive. Perhaps a portable radio might have some output jacks you could use to plug in to your system. There’s also internet radio tuners you can buy.  FWIW I just burnt in a new DAC, and right out of the box it was dull sounding - over a couple weeks the highs opened up, which was the most noticeable change, and the whole thing also got a bit more transparent and open.  I was constantly comparing it to another DAC I have, so the changes were very obvious.

I have no special affinity to any particular "brand" of CD setup/ maintenance disc but I've had one for years and wouldn't be without it. 

The one I have is long discontinued and also has a cleaning function (has small brushes affixed to the CD to clean the laser) and has a number of setup tracks as well as demagnetizing sweep tones (they work) and a burn in track. 

Wouldn't pay more than $15-$20 for something like this, but the linked XLO looks interesting. If I lost what I had I might spring for this one. 

http://https//elusivedisc.com/xlo-reference-recordings-test-burn-in-hdcd/

Bought a new DAC recently and simply ran the burn in track on repeat for about 5-6 hours. Done. For the most part anyway.